Modi’s u-turns, treatment of Jaswant: Why BJP is looking shaky

Two quick u-turns usually bring you back to more or less just about where you began. But on Sunday, the Bharatiya Janata Party's deft flip-flops, first on the matter of party membership to Pramod Muthalik of the 2009 Mangalore pub attack fame and then on the Har Har Modi call, appeared to have left the party suddenly miles off course.

]Veteran BJP leader LK Advani and party's PM candidate Narendra Modi. Veteran BJP leader LK Advani and party's PM candidate Narendra Modi. Neither rethink came spontaneously. On Muthalik, there was outrage and derision on Twitter, alongside reports that senior party leaders had raised eyebrows too. At least one senior leader, Goa chief minister Manohar Parriker, openly scorned the decision to admit Muthalik, who he said would not be allowed to join any campaigning in Goa.

On Har Har Modi, the decision came after several days of hand-wringing by Hindu leaders and immediately after Shankaracharya of the Dwarka peeth Swaroopanand Saraswati used some strong language. He actually telephoned RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. If the RSS does not endorse man-worship then it had very well put a stop to the use of the slogan, the Shankaracharya is reported to have said. The Shankaracharya had a warning too: "People say no one can stop Modi. But if such activities continue, God will stop him."

Nobody knows if the BJP believes the Shankaracharya's word will sway voters in Varanasi. But there was enough disquiet among believers of the Hindu rashtra for Modi to take to Twitter on Sunday evening and request his followers not to use the slogan. Soon after, the BJP declared that Har Har Modi, Ghar Ghar Modi had never been an official party slogan.

The Shankaracharya and Twitterati could hardly have more dissonant voices, but they had the same effect on the BJP on Sunday evening. And gave us three reasons why the BJP should consider some course corrections:

One, suddenly, the prime minister in waiting, widely reported to be controlling the entire gamut of campaign activities for the BJP, appeared unsure, undecided and a good deal less in control than a few hours previously.

Just what led to the hasty flip-flops? Nobody doubts for even a minute that the Gujarat chief minister was not in the know about Muthalik's induction. The Sri Ram Sene man, a long-time associate of the Sangh parivar in different capacities, had in fact threatened to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Dharwad against state BJP president Pralhad Joshi. His induction, like those of even relative small fry such as the daughter of an NCP minister in Maharashtra, would have been duly passed through and vetted by Team Modi.

As for the Har Har Modi slogan, you cannot really argue with the Shankaracharya's logic, even if you don't have an opinion on worship of humans: "Why was Modi not opposing it from the very first moment?" The slogan has been used widely at rallies and on social media. In that sense, both u-turns can be seen as Modi's, not the party's.

Two, the taut relationships at the very top of the BJP now appear to be fraying at an alarming pace. And that is doubtless leading to mis-steps and stumbles on the final leg of the Modi juggernaut.

LK Advani has already chided the party for becoming a one-man organisation. Then, barely hours after the tension over party patriarch's candidature began, the Jaswant Singh episode had party seniors in a huddle. Sushma Swaraj, having first very vocally reiterated her opposition to the induction of B Sriramulu into the BJP -- she first said it set a bad precedent, tweeted her thoughts, then upon the induction she was at pains to repeat herself, and finally wrote a missive to party president Rajnath Singh stating her views -- also spoke out about the treatment meted out to Jaswant Singh, former defence minister, external affairs minister and finance minister in the NDA regime.

The decision on Jaswant was said to have been taken first by Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje and then backed by the central election committee of the party, based reportedly on winnability. Vasundhara and Jaswant Singh were never known to be close, but the outcome of the Barmer seat heartburn is that the murmurs are now not only about tickets and candidature. Swaraj has grabbed every chance she gets to establish her identity as somebody who will speak out whatever the consequences, even if it means taking on Modi and the thers. According to reports, she has felt snubbed and slighted in the new "Modi-fied" party, and apparently believes that the party has become a ruthless machine with no regard for seniors who built the organisation.

Much has been said about the internal rivalries within the BJP, and specifically about the rising voices unhappy at Modi's unchallenged leadership, but Sunday's U-turns make one thing plain: The BJP seniors' public spats are now dangerous for the NDA -- their cohesion or lack thereof could make or mar Mission 272.

And three, finally, the BJP stood exposed on Sunday as being increasingly like the political parties it mocks. Unsavoury politicians with dodgy records in public life become the toast of all parties during election season -- perceived winnability has little to do with what Twitter believes is acceptable.

On Sunday, even as senior party strategist Arun Jaitley wrote on his blog that senior leaders should prove their discipline and loyalty at times like these, and that he should simply learn to take no for an answer, even as Jaswant himself said he was not furniture to be "adjusted" around after the elections, when Muthalik was being welcomed into the party by Karnataka unit of the BJP, the party with a difference became another Congress party with its Kalmadis and its Ashok Chavans, its turncoats and its opportunists.

It's really besides the point if Jaswant deserved that ticket and whether his winnability quotient beats that of the Congress rebel Vasundhara picked for Barmer instead. The message that went out in the way the Jaswant Singh incident was handled was one of how the party tackles an unhappy parent or grand-uncle.

A senior party worker who is believed to stand for integrity and honest plainspeak, who went on Hardtalk during Kargil to demolish Pakistan, was publicly humiliated. Not the best tidings for the BJP, and for Modi, with just days to go for polling. more

We all are paying huge taxes, direct or indirect taxes as mentioned below and what we get in return from our so called Rajnetas. Have you ever thought that, on every daily consumable items how much indirect tax you are paying.

(See the fun you are paying road tax and on each and every highway paying toll tax, why? you are paying water bill and Purchase drinking water separate, You are paying electric bill and hardly gets 8 hour supply, If there is something wrong you fear to go to POLICE, you are paying various tax to municipality and suffering encroachment by vendors and parking, When you will take ownership? Man itÃ¢ÂÂs you who is paying for enjoyment of politicians & govt. officials)

After paying above mentioned taxes, you still give Bribe to govt. officials. Why?

Why opposition was silent?

In this election, we need our politician to be real public servant as we all (Public) are paying a handsome salary including all facilities to his entire family. Also paying Lifetime Pension for only 5 years of service.

Karenge , Krenge, to sub kahte hai But now we want to listen/ read, PROCEDURE , HOW Political Parties WILL IMPLEMENT ? AND WHAT WILL BE ACTION PLAN?

Government jeene degi to sochunga Ã¢ÂÂ main hindu hoon ya musalmaan. more

I think you supporting corrupt people and you are a congress supporter or aap supporter.if Yaswant sing is a real bjp supporter then he ca support bjp and could get better post after election but he is a selfish.

What is the meaning of Har..Har? Allah ho Akbar slogan is not wrong. Whether Ibrahim is Akbar is wrong? Akabr means great. It depends in which sense you are chanting the slogan. Har Har Modi means every where Modi. What is wrong? This is the excitement of workers & fan. You can shut the mouth of the people. Why one chant Zinadabad, Amarrahe words. Only God is AMAR. Except God no body is Amar in this world. When you are chanting that Bhagat Singh Amar Rahe, means you are equating them with God.

The Shankaracharya who raised objection yesterday is a Congress man. We have seen him opposing the Ramjanam bhoomi movement. He has never supported the BJP. Is Shankaracharya ne Sonia Gandhi ko ganga asnan karwaya aur Sonia ka Pair (foot) dhoya. Wo kya logo ko shikha dega.

I worship God Mahadeva everyday.

One should not politicise everything. But in politics & election everything is fair till election is over. more

DEAR SIKHA, THANKS FOR YOUR MAIL.I WANT TO EXPRESS MY POINT OF VIEW/DRAW YR KIND ATTENTION ON SOME POINTS WHICH ARE MENTIONED IN YOUR MAIL. 1 REGARDING DENIAL OF JASWANT SINGH CANDIDATURE,HE IS FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. IN LAST ASSEMBLY ELECTION OF RAJASTHAN HE OPENLY & STRONGLY OPPOSED MRS VASUNDRA RAJE.THATISWHY SHE LOST THE BTTLE.HE WAS FULLY INVOLVED IN ANTY PARTY ACTIVITES.A PERSON LIKE OF HIS CADRE IS SO UNDECIPLINED COULD NOT BE EXPECTED & TOLERATED.I WAS 100% SURE FOR THIS DECISION & GOT NO SURPRISE& SORRY FOR IT.IN THIS DECISION I AM 100% AGREE WITH BJP'S DECISION. 2.ABOUT L.K.ADVANI,MURLIMANOHAR JOSHI,MR LAJI TONDON,ALL MUST TENDER THEIR RESIGNATION FROM POLITICS WITH GRACEFULLY TO SEE THEIR AGE.THIS WILLL BE BETTER FOR THEM.THEY MUST GIVE CHANCE TO OTHERS/THEIR JUNIORS.NOW THEY ARE GIVING CHANCE TO OPPOSITION TO LAUGH ON THEM & OPPOSING & CRITICIZING BJP.MR.ADVANI WHO HAS BEEN GIVEN CHANCE IN LAST PARIAMENTARY ELECTION BUT HE COULD NOT BE SUCEEDED THEN WHY HE IS DISTURBING NOW HIS PARTY. 3.REGD MUTHALIK ,HE SHOULD BE THROWNOUT FOR HIS BAD DEEDS. HE & HIS PARTY WAS INVOVED IN HOOLIGANISM.SOME TIME BACK HE & HIS PARTYMEN HAVE BEATEN SOME YOUNG CHAPS(BOYS & GIRLS) FOR BEING FRIENDS & ENJOYING TOGETHER.WHO HAS GIVEN POWER TO ATTECK THEM.WE HAVE NO SUCH RULE IN OUR COUNTRY THAT CAN STOP FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN OPPOSITE GENDER.THIS TYPE OF AUTOCRATS & NARROW MINDED PEOPLE HAVE NO PLACE IN OUR FREE SOCIETY.I BELIEVE IN FAIR FRIENDSHIP.EVERYBODY HAS RIGHT TO LIVE HIS OWN LIFE AS HE WISH WITHOUT ANY OBSTACLE. THIS TIME NO BODY CAN STOP MODYJI FOR BEING OUR PM.HE IS HONEST,PROGRESSIVE MINDED,HAVING GOOD VISION &HE WANTS TO DEVELOP THE COUNTRY.I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE ARE OPPOSING HIM.I HAVE SEEN GUJARAT & I WAS THERE AROUND 4 YARS IN VADODRA & SURAT.I FEEL ALL POLITICAL LEADERS WHO ARE OPPOSING HIM ARE TRAITORS.NEITHER THAY ARE CAPABLE TO DEVELOP OUR COUNTRY NOR THEY ARE ALLOWING TO OTHERS.THEY ARE SELFISH